Santa Robert
by Veridissima
Summary: When you have plans to visit Santa at the mall, and he ends up being Robert Baratheon. Three stories. Multiships: Aegon/Myrcella; Margaery/Tommen; Arya/Gendry; Catelyn/Ned. Fill for Until Hell Freezes Over on Game of Ships.


_This is a fill for this year's December gameofshipschallenge on tumblr - Until Hell Freezes Over :)_

 _You don't need to read it, but I think this falls in the same universe as_ Fireworks _(which I wrote last year for a challenge similar to this one), at least this is what I imagined had happened to the Lannisters in that story as well_

* * *

"You're so annoying," Myrcella said, trying to escape from Aegon.

"You love it," he said with a smirk. And she kind of did, she did love her stupid and immature boyfriend. And he was once again trying to kiss her neck, cheek, and every bit of skin.

"You're impossible," she said, getting away. "Tommen and Margaery should be here in a few minutes. And there are people everywhere."

"Really?! Why are we in a mall at Christmas? Couldn't they just have come to the apartment."

"No. This is our tradition, since Mom and Joffrey… you know… Normally it's just the two of us. You decided to invade our family meeting," she said with a smile.

"I love your brother."

"You love my brother's wife, that's more like it." It had bothered Myrcella a bit at first that Aegon was always flirting with Margaery. Tommen had been able to read it in Myrcella, and he reassured it was nothing, that after two years of marriage he knew that his wife didn't mean anything; and with time she understood that Aegon didn't mean anything either.

"Of course, he loves me. I'm fabulous," Margaery said coming from behind, and quickly pulling Myrcella for a hug, while her brother greeted her boyfriend, and then they changed, and she exchanged a hug with her brother.

"I'm so glad you came," she said.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he told her, still not letting go, and she didn't let go either – he was her only family now. And he was spending Christmas with the Tyrells, and this year Myrcella was not going with him (or spending it with friends), she was actually going to Dorne with Aegon.

Aegon and Margaery started walking in front of them, trying to decide where they would eat. Tommen would want fried chicken for sure, Myrcella was in the mood for Japanese – very Christmas like.

"I went to see Mom, yesterday," Tommen whispered. "She's okay. She misses you."

"I'm going to see her after I get back from Dorne, before the New Year. I was there last month. Did you see Joffrey or-" she didn't say the name – they never said that name. They didn't even know what to call him.

"No. The last time I was there, Joffrey had heard about the wedding, and he wasn't really…" Joffrey had dated Margaery. And he had been the reason they had gotten married; Margaery pregnant when Joffrey had been jailed with the rest of their family, and the Tyrells wouldn't let their daughter have a child out of wedlock, so she had married the next available Barat… Lannister (she had lost her child early in their marriage). "And I have never seen _him_."

"Me neither."

"Hurry up. I'm hungry," Aegon complained.

"We're going," they both answered. "We know where we're going. Have you decided what you're going to eat?" Myrcella asked. She got both an affirmative and negative answer at the same time, and after she rolled her eyes, she got a real answer, and they separated, so each of them could get the food they wanted.

Back at their table, everyone had their own tray, Myrcella took her seat next to Aegon, who had gotten four huge slices of pizza and a huge cup of cola; and Margaery and Tommen in front of them, she had a salad with fruit and chicken, but mostly started eating fries of her husband's plate.

"So when are you leaving for Highgarden?"

"Willas is using the jet right now, he's been travelling for work. But they are sending it for us sometime tomorrow. You?"

"We're doing an old-fashioned road-trip, starting tomorrow probably," Aegon told them. "Not sure if we have to wait for Rhae or not; she's coming from Essos, but I don't know if she needs a ride from King's Landing or not." Myrcella hadn't yet met Rhaenys, and she was quite nervous to meet Aegon's loving sister.

"And this is your Lannister Christmas," Margaery said with a smile. "And since it's Christmas, we have presents for you. And I know, Cella, you only open them on the 25th, but I can give them to you now."

"I'll open them now, for sure," Aegon said. They traded presents between them, with each person ending up with two packages (okay, Tommen ended up three, because Myrcella had gotten her little brother two presents). Only Aegon opened his presents, and he got a cologne from Margaery – it smelled really nice and it looked like something expensive (not the Tyrells' notion of expensive was the same as them) – and a new drawing notebook from Tommen, with the type of paper Myrcella knew he liked.

"I promise to do a painting of you two."

Aegon tried to convinced them to open their presents, but with no avail, but he was able to convince Margaery of something else. They both thought it would be fun to go take a photo with Santa in the floor below.

"No, Aegon, I do not want to take photo on some old man's lap," she told her boyfriend, and her brother seemed to agree with her.

"It will be a fun _Instagram_ photo, for sure," Margaery said – she had a huge league of _Instagram_ followers, so that was a credible worry. "And it will be so much fun."

"Yes, it will. And yes, Cella, I promise I'll let crying children go before me," Aegon said.

After that, both of them just wanted to finish lunch, and they didn't take much longer. Margaery kept talking about the huge Tyrell Christmas plans for the entire week – Christmas was a true event for them; and there were always so many business functions as well. Myrcella and Tommen had grown up like that as well, always having to attend Christmas parties and make nice with business partners of her parents. Myrcella was excited to have a family and small Christmas (it wasn't that small considering that Aegon had a very large family).

After lunch, they followed Aegon and Margaery to the huge Christmas tree in the center of the mall, where Santa had his own chair. The line was that long, and they felt in place in the queue, which moved forward quite quickly, while Myrcella and Tommen waited on the side.

"It's almost our turn," Aegon said. "Be prepared to take the photo." Myrcella and Tommen moved forward, and when it was their loved ones' turn, the elf let them moved in to the zone where the parents normally stood. Myrcella took her actual camera instead of her phone and prepared to take the phone.

Santa went quite well with the two adults stepping forward in queue, he had a small reaction, but then went on with it. Margaery actually took a seat on the man's lap, while Aegon stood to the side; Santa made conversation with them as they were other children, and Myrcella took photos of everything. And then she noticed that Aegon was pointing at her when he started talking about presents, she couldn't hear what Aegon said, but it was about her, but then the Santa spoke.

"Myrcella, Tommen?" Santa whispered, and then the voice was quickly familiar.

"Dad," Myrcella said, before shaking her head, he wasn't really their dad anymore, was he? The last time they had seen him, it had been in Tommen's wedding, when he showed drunk, yelling that he wasn't his son, and that Margaery was too hot for him, and that they had fucked up; luckily Loras and Garlan had gotten him away before he said anything else.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking at them – even with the white beard and the hat, the blue eyes were still the same. "I'm sober."

"Okay…" Tommen whispered. Santa Robert was up now, coming closer (and children in queue were very confused).

"You're Margaery. Joffrey's girlfriend."

"No. I'm Tommen's _wife_ ," she said, pronouncing the last word very clearly, and then moved to stand by Tommen, taking his hand.

"Robert. I would ask you to respect my brother's wife."

"You have your mother's voice."

"I am my mother's daughter still. Even if I don't agree with everything she has done."

"I didn't mean anything, Cella. I'm really sorry how I fucked up."

"Language. There are children here," she whispered.

"Your mother wouldn't have said that," he said, and smiled under the beard. "I shouldn't have reacted like I did. I did help raise you, and you and Tommen never did anything wrong."

"You shouldn't have come to my wedding," Tommen finally spoke. "But I understand, that you…it was a mess… everything we are," he said pointing to him and Myrcella, "It's not normal…"

"I…" Robert started. "Yeah… You seem happy, the marriage…"

"It's better than yours and mother's," Tommen answered, as Margaery pulled herself a bit closer to him.

"Not a hard thing to do, son," Robert said, and then the sound of his laugh, such a familiar laugh. "And you are?" he asked looking at Aegon.

"My boyfriend. Aegon."

"Aegon is a Targaryen name."

"He is a Targaryen, Robert. I don't think you have any say on it."

"I'm a Martell," Aegon said. He wasn't a big fan of his father either. He was his mother's son more than anything else. "It's good to meet you," he said offering him his hand, and Myrcella sent him a killer look.

"Yes," he said taking his hand. "I should get back to the throne," he said looking behind him, at the queue and all the children waiting. "My shift will be over in just a little more over one hour. Can you wait?"

"No," Myrcella was the one who answered. They had the time, but she wasn't really ready to be with him like this. She would need to prepare. "But my number is still the same, and I can contact Tommen. Maybe to start the year," she suggested.

"Thank you," he said, but didn't move any closer. There were no hugs or kisses as a goodbye, but just head nods exchange as a sweet goodbye, and wishes of a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Myrcella walked away without any other look back, but she could hear the children happily clapping for having Santa back.

"You okay?" Aegon whispered in her ear, as he came closer to her, and took her hand. Aegon knew how much of a mess her family was, and especially the mess that were feelings through her family.

"Better than I thought I would be," she whispered. "It was easier to see Robert than just thinking about visiting _him_. I still can't see how Joffrey can be with him."

"There aren't many options in jail, Cella."

"I know… but Robert was easier."

"Do you want him to call you?"

"I think so… He wasn't a great father, but he was still there. And if he's really sober…"

"I know," he said, kissing her on the top of the head.

Only now, Myrcella looked around, and she found her brother was still quiet and frozen, only Margaery seemed to make him move a bit, just feel better, Myrcella left them alone, looking their foreheads put together, and seeing her lips move in a slower voice.

"Your brother is okay," Aegon whispered, and pulled her down to sit at the bench to wait for Margaery and Tommen to be okay. "She's taking care of him. She loves him."

"I know," she said resting her head on his shoulder, and closing her eyes.

"You're tired…"

"I'm okay…" she said, and rested with him, squeezing his hand on his lap.

* * *

"It's almost my turn," the girl between them said excitedly.

"Yes, it is, Maddie. Can you tell me what you're going to ask for?"

"Of course not, Aunt Arya. Santa needs to be the first to know," she said like it was the most obvious thing ever.

"Jeyne doesn't want you to be calling her Maddie," Gendry whispered. Jeyne was still completely against the nickname, but everyone had taken it on, even Paul, her husband and Madalena's dad.

"Madalena sounds too biblical."

"You know that's the point, right," he told her.

"Shut up, stupid," Arya complained, punching her boyfriend.

"You can't use bad words, Aunt Arya, and no violence. Mom says so."

"Of course, Princess," Arya said with a smile, ruffling the girl's hair. "Can you at least tell me what you asked for the last three times your parents took you to see Santa?"

Yes, Madalena was coming to see Santa for the fourth time, according to Jeyne she had been asking non-stop for the last two and half days, and Jeyne was swamped at the Inn with the holidays and Paul was working overtime to have the week between Christmas and New Year free. So it had fallen to Uncle Gendry and Aunt Arya, and thankfully Maddie was a very well behaved girl, as Arya often pointed out to her brother Robb, whose kid couldn't be quiet (Mom always laughed at that and said that Arya had nothing on her first grandkid).

"A bathing suit for my doll – it's really cool! And I can actually take it with me when we go to the beach in the summer. The _Finding Dory_ DVD!" Arya knew about that one, since she and Gendry had bought her that one with a Hank plush toy (which was adorable and Arya wanted one for herself). "And then I asked for a trip to Winterfell – I really want to see your house, Aunt Arya, and the snow."

"I'm sure my parents would love to see your adorable face again. You can stay in my old room."

"I think it may scare her with all those dark band posters."

"They are not dark – they are the coolest bands in the world! And you can't speak, you liked Justin Bieber."

"I like Justin Bieber," Maddie complained, and then started humming some music, before adding. "And I'm not scared of anything."

"Really?! Anything?!" Gendry started making a strange voice. "Not even the tickle monster," he said, attacking her with tickles, and kisses, making little Maddie laugh so much.

"No! Uncle Gendry, put me down! Uncle Gendry," she said between giggles.

Arya laughed as well as Maddie asked for her help. Gendry and Maddie were adorable, and he was always so happy around her – he would be a great father someday, no matter his stupid fears. But Arya wasn't really ready to think about that now, she was okay with being just Cool Aunt Arya for right now (and hopefully Gendry would wait until she felt ready).

"Put you down?! But don't you like me?" Gendry asked with a smile.

"Yes, Uncle Gendry, but it tickles," she whispered between giggles.

"Gendry, we're moving on the line," Arya whispered, as they were now at the front of the line, and the Santa was with the last kid before them. "So are you excited to see Santa?"

"Yes! He's different from the one I've seen before…" Arya didn't know how to answer that, she didn't want to be the reason behind Maddie stopping to believe on Santa. "Mom told me these are messengers to the real Santa, because Santa is really busy on the North Poll, and he couldn't be in every mall to see the children. But he has so many people in just this mall."

"They are all approved by Santa," Arya promised. "I'm sure he will get the message to the North Poll, just like the other Santas did."

"Next!" One of the helping elves called out, and Maddie moved forward, and Santa helped her to his lap. "You can step forward if you want to take a photo," the elf told them.

"She's been here three times already. Her mother has enough photos," Gendry answered.

"We should take at least one," Arya said, stepping forward and taking out her phone, for a photo, and then she noticed that the Santa seemed familiar, first the voice, and then the eyes, and then the laugh was a sure thing.

"It's Robert," Arya whispered to Gendry. Robert was a messy subject, she and Gendry suspected that he was actually Gendry's father – he had never met him before, but they had seen pictures of Arya's father when he was young, and he almost always followed by his best friend, Robert (and he looked remarkly like Gendry).

"That's my father…" he whispered.

"I could recognize his laugh anywhere. And his eyes… it's looking at yours, I had never realized before." Gendry looked at the Santa's eyes too, and it was uncanny… he didn't know what to do, what to say, and then Arya just took his hand, and squeezed it really hard. "Do you want to say something?"

"Nah, it's not time." After that Madalena came to meet them, happy and unknowingly just made everything better; and then for just a few seconds Gendry crossed eyes with Santa, with his possible father – he couldn't know if he knew, but that look was the closer he ever had been to his father.

"So can you tell me what you asked for now?" Arya asked, still holding Gendry's hand, and giving her other hand to Maddie.

"I had to ask for a Bambi plush toy for Teddy. He told me he wants it, and he can't talk so I had to tell Santa – he can't forget Teddy just because he's a baby," Madalena argued, and Arya smiled, and made sure to remember to tell Jeyne about it. Teddy was their newborn baby, just a few months old, and for sure couldn't speak, but Madalena seemed to be so sure about what her baby brother wanted.

"So you didn't ask for nothing to yourself?"

"I asked for the new Taylor Swift CD too, but mostly Bambi." The CD was already handled – Lommy had bought it for her.

"My sister, Sansa, loves Taylor Swift."

"Really?! Can she take me to a concert? Mom won't take me."

"When you're older, I'm sure she will be happy to take you."

"But I want to go now! Not when I'm older," she argued.

"And what about now, we go for some ice cream," Gendry asked, changing the issue, and making Arya sure that he was coming back to reality.

"Yes! Yes, that's good!" she exclaimed, and Gendry took his niece and put her on his shoulder, as she strongly held on to his hair, and then took Arya's hand again, as the other kept Madalena's legs secured; and they went in search of the best ice cream shop in the mall. "Can I get sprinkles?" she asked.

"Chocolate or Rainbow?"

"Rainbow – they're fun!"

"Chocolate are so much better," Arya argued.

"You can get chocolate, Arya," Gendry said, "And you can ask for rainbow, Madalena."

"Thank you!" Maddie said, kissing her uncle's head as they went up the escalator. "Mom taught me to braid."

"That's what she's doing, right?" Gendry asked, feeling some hairs being pushed on his head.

"Yeah," Arya agreed. "I'm sure you'll look great," she said with a laugh. Arya knew Gendry would never stop Madalena – he would let her do anything to him (as he would Arya).

They found the ice cream parlour quickly; and after Arya ordered her three scoops ice cream bowl with extra sprinkles and cookies, Madalena ordered her strawberry scoop with rainbow sprinkles (it was hard to convince her that she didn't need three flavours like her Aunt Arya), and Gendry got double chocolate ice cream; they sat on one of couches, all huddled up to warm up in a cold winter afternoon, as they ate ice cream (because no matter the weather, ice cream is always good).

* * *

"It's going to be okay, love," Catelyn told him, as she squeezed his hand once again.

"How can you be sure?"

"I just know, Ned. And when have I been wrong?" she asked him with a silly smile, and Ned had the desire to kiss her in that moment. He stopped himself since they were in a crowed space – Ned hated the mall during the holidays. He normally only came once, with one or more of the children (this year it would probably just be Rickon) to buy Catelyn's present.

"You're sure he will be here."

"I asked when I was here, buying the game Arya wanted," Catelyn still had that unbelievable look in her eyes, that asked how could her grown up daughter who's living with her boyfriend still want a videogame for Christmas.

"They are all still kids, Catelyn."

"I know. I'm glad that she still has time to play these games. And at least now I can buy games for over 18, without feeling like a bad mother."

"Like you could ever be a bad mother." Another hand squeeze.

They approached the Christmas tree, there were kids and parents looking around but no one in queue anymore, since the throne was empty; they stepped forward and were interrupted by an elf.

"I'm sorry but the line is closed. We'll be back at 6 p.m."

"It was Robert's shift, right? We're waiting for him," Catelyn was the one to speak.

"Yes, he's just changing. We'll be out soon."

"It will be okay," Catelyn rested her hand on Ned's shoulder. She waited with him, until a large figure came out of a small house, unquestionably Robert, with his black hair and beard (that was barely greying), and blue eyes, cleared than they had seen in a long time. Catelyn stepped back, leaving Ned alone, giving them this privacy.

She saw Robert looking around, and finally catching Ned waiting, and they both stepped forward.

"They told me there was someone waiting. I never thought it would be you."

"It was time," Ned said. They hadn't spoken since Joffrey was arrested, and everything that happened to Sansa came up (Sansa and Margaery had been separated for more than two years by now, and Catelyn and Ned felt like failures for never realizing what had happened), and Robert was truly drunk, when Ned hadn't seen his friend fully sober for almost five years, and he had said things that none could forget.

"How did you know I was here?"

"Arya came here with her boyfriend and niece."

"I saw her, I though it was her. The boyfriend… is he my…?"

"I've suspected since I first met him."

"Does he know?"

"I don't know. Neither he or Arya ever mentioned it, but I've seen them looking at photos of us when we were young."

"He looks like me. A copy of me, Joffrey never… I should have known…"

"You couldn't have seen, and Joffrey…"

"… he behaved like me, that's what you mean. He learned from me. The way he treated your daughter."

"Yes, he learned from you… but it was different. You're sick, the drink… you never did that when you were sober."

"But I was still never like you. I didn't so what was right…"

"You didn't enjoy hurting others. Joffrey did."

Ned told himself this multiple times, because he wanted to be able to talk to Robert, and he needed a reason. He needed to justify carrying for a man that wasn't that different from the man who hurt his baby daughter.

"I didn't… I don't… Ned, I really don't." There was silence after that, none of them knowing what to say next, but Robert spoke – words always came easier to him. "The girl with your daughter, you said niece. Robb's, I heard he got married."

"He did. But it's their niece on Gendry's side, the boy."

"He has a sister? A family?" Robert wondered; he had never step forward to raise his children, but maybe he had been okay, maybe the kid had grown up happily.

"No, only son. His mother died when he was young, six, I think… Madalena is Jeyne's daughter, a friend he made in foster care," Ned answered. "I can't lie and say he had an easy life, he worked hard to be where he is – but he is a good child – responsible, caring, and good hearted. And he made a family in foster care."

Ned and Catelyn had met them all, Jeyne – the mother of the group – had invited them for lunch one day at the inn she run with her sister, Will, and Hot Pie, the cook, and then there was also Lommy, the skinny guy – they were Arya's family in law, as much as the Westerlings were Robb's (and if Ned was honest much nicer). Catelyn had made sure to buy a present for young Madalena and for the new baby too, she would always be there for everyone.

"He's a better than I am. I'm glad. I would want another of your girls to suffer because of me."

"She doesn't. Arya is good. Sansa is too, she's happy, she's moved on."

"I saw Myrcella and Tommen a few days ago – they looked happy, smiling and laughing. They came here with their partners, I suppose that's the world. Tommen's marriage is actually working, and my daught- Myrcella is dating a Targaryen… I don't know how I feel about that, but there's no reason for me feel things," Robert admitted, "They said I could call them after the holidays."

"That could be good," Ned said. He couldn't imagine not talking to his children, even with just Rickon leaving under their roof, the others still called more than once every week and came over a lot.

"It would. I'm not sure what our relationship could be now," he said, Ned would know. He may not always been good people while they were growing up, but he has been made to be a father (and a husband). "You know I can see Catelyn back there, she could join us."

"Walk with me. Have you eaten? We could eat something."

"Yes, I'm hungry. Not drinking leads me to eat more."

"You're sober, then,"

"Yes, it hasn't been easy but I am. And I've taken running again – thankfully I haven't lost that much weight, this job is based on it."

"Robert," Catelyn greeted him, as they approached her. And then had a silent talk with her husband wanting to make sure he was okay, a simple nod was answer enough.

"Catelyn, it's good to see you. How's the shopping going?"

"Good. You looked good as Santa, I saw you the other day."

"I like it. Most children are nice."

"They love Santa," she said.

"They do. Not being me is easier around children."

"You do look good, Robert. Better. Healthier."

"Thank you," he said. "Let's go eat something. I'm starving. It's on me."

Robert walked in front of them in direction to escalator, ready to go up to flights of stairs, and leaving enough space for Ned and Catelyn to be alone.

"I told it would be okay," Catelyn whispered, resting against her husband's chest as the escalator went up.

"He looks good. And he sounds different – he reminds me of Gendry."

"Serious. Responsible. The world's weight on him."

"Exactly."

"Gendry is too young for that. But maybe it would do Robert some good. He has hurt a lot of people, and he needs to makes emends."

"He seems to be trying. Cersei's children saw him the other day, they seem to be ready to talk to him," Ned told her.

"Maybe he'll have a better year, with fresh starts. Including with you."

"He's better. And as long as he is healthy and sober, I can have in my life, he won't hurt…"

"Ned, Sansa doesn't blame you. She told you it was a good thing for you to have Robert back."

"She does, she really does?"

"She does, Ned," Catelyn whispered, raising herself to kiss his lips – a reminder and a promise of his words.

They reached the food court to find Robert waiting for them, and Catelyn felt young again, when she first started dating Ned and would hang out with both of them on her free time.

"I was thinking McDonalds. I'm in the mood for a Big Mac and fries," Robert suggested, and the Stark couple shared a look.

"I will take one of those glorious chocolate muffins," Catelyn said with a smile. She didn't indulge much on McDonalds or sweets, but those muffins were always really good.

"I will just have a cheeseburger," Ned said. Robert stepped forward and ordered for them, and refused every offer of letting them pay for their food.

"It's my work place. It's my job to pay."

"It's a public space," Ned argued.

"Just go and find a table. I got this." Catelyn finally took Ned's hand, and pulled him along to a table in the back of the restaurant – it was mostly kids at the other tables, they seemed to be the only ones over fifty in here.

"Thank you for convincing me to do this," Ned thanked her, holding her hand under his table.

"I'm glad you trusted me," she said kissing him, and he kissed her back, no matter that they were surrounded by people. Ned needed to thank her for giving him a chance of having his friend again.

Robert whistled, coming closer, "I used to be the one kissing girls, while you looked on."

"Things have changed," Ned said.

"Yes, they have," Robert admitted, putting the two trays down. "And they will keep changing, but I will still be hungry."

Ned kept holding Catelyn's hand as they all ate together, and Robert told them about he had gotten the job as Santa – it was still probably the safest topic to talk about.

* * *

 _I hope that those of you who celebrate it had a GREAT Christmas! :) And for those of you don't celebrate, I hope you had an AMAZING couple of days! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!_


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